Obama Administration Sues Arizona

A hearing took place today in federal district court in Arizona over a new state law defunding Planned Parenthood. The Obama administration is seeking to block the law before it can take effect.

The Whole Woman’s Healthcare Funding Prioritization Act, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer in May, redirects state family planning funds from abortion businesses to groups that provide comprehensive health care for women.

Planned Parenthood immediately filed a lawsuit to block the law, and has been joined by the U.S. Department of Justice. Arizona is the third state to be sued by the Obama administration for defunding Planned Parenthood, joining Indiana and Texas.

“While Planned Parenthood spends millions to re-elect President Obama and even sends its president, Cecile Richards, to campaign in Iowa this week, the Obama administration once again is stepping in to protect the bottom line of its top political ally and the nation’s largest abortion provider,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, which co-authored the legislation along with the Alliance Defending Freedom.

“Despite continued scandals including allegations of the waste, abuse and potential fraud of millions of taxpayer dollars, President Obama has refused to allow a single tax dollar to be cut from Planned Parenthood at the federal level,” she added. “When the states take matters into their own hands to protect taxpayers from the abortion industry, Obama’s administration promptly intervenes on the abortion businesses’ behalf.”

Last year, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas’ law could be enforced. Since then, the Obama administration has withheld federal Medicaid dollars from the state until it agrees to restore Planned Parenthood’s funding. The case is again making its way through the federal court system, as is Indiana’s.